constipation while breast feeding

[nattiecake]

Hello

I'm exclusively breastfeeding my 3 week old baba.

I have a healthy diet, only have wholemeal pasta/bread and plenty of fruit and veg and have never had problems with constipation before, plus I'm drinking plenty and have also been taking Fibogel since I came out of hospital (I had stitches AND piles so wanted to ensure it was as easy as possible).

However I'm only managing to poo a maximum of every other day, and its very difficult. Is it related to the fact that I'm breastfeeding? Any advice on what else I can do? :(

I too was a bit constipated when my baby was around that age. Fibogel helped me though! It was really painfull and took my breath away at times. Not sure if it's to do with breastfeeding. Baby is now 6 weeks old and movements are pretty much back to normal for me.

Perhaps someone else knows?

Make sure you are drinking lots and lots of water. Have a big drink beside you for every feed, a sports bottle by the bed, drink with everymeal. It's very easy to dehydrate when BF and that will make you constipated.

i had this due to iron tablets after losing a lot of blood when DD was born, I ended up with a fissure which believe me you do not want. Get ye to the GP for some Movicol, wonderful stuff, don't be fobbed off with Lactulose it is disgusting and didn't work for me at all.

HAve been constipated since dd was born 15 wks ago but never thought to link it to bf. Drink LOTS of water & wholemeal/ grain foods. Was at doc this wk and she said if you have taken painkillers which include coedine (which I had) it can lead to constipation. I was bleeding (sorry if tmi) with no sign of piles. Laxido & a suppository prescribed & it seems to b working. I think a visit to the gp is in order.

Definitely drink lots and lots of water! It really helped me. You can get so dehydrated when breast feeding. Don't let it put you off breast feeding though!

BFing did the opposite to me (ie lots of loose BMs esp after/during a feed), but the co-codimol I took after DS1 was born made me very constipayed.

Agree what the others say about water and ask GP for movicol.